Bricklayer&#39;s level



June 15, 1965 w. B. MOODY BRICKLAYER'S LEVEL Filed Jan. 28, 1963 IN VENT OR. M11420 5.111000) 4rraavsrs.

United States Patent 3,188,748. BRICKLAYERS LEVEL Willard Bruce Moody,,1-711 Hillcrest Drive, Durham, N.C.

Filed' Jan. 28, 1963', Ser. No. 254,117 3 Claims. (Cl. 33207'') This invention relates to a bricklayers level and relates more particularly toa levelling device associated with a finger ring member to be worn by a bricklayer or a mason to insure the correct placement. of a brick.

In laying brick it is a common problem to align the brick vertically so that it is not tilted backward or forward, a difficulty known in masons language as lipping a brick. When a wall is completed in which certain of the bricks are not level, the reflected. light will give a patchwork or checkerboard appearance which is considered undesirable.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a bricklayers level which is sturdy and durable in construction, reliable and eflicient in operation, and relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, utilize and maintain.

'A further object of this invention is the provision of an anti-lipping level which may be worn as a ring by the mason thereby being readily available for constant use.

Another object of the instant invention is the provision of a device of the type described wherein a levelling means is supported on a finger ring member and base member is provided vertically below the level to thus facilitate aligning the levelling means parallel to any two perpendicular reference lines on the top surface of the brick.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a bricklayers level having a base member formed in the shape of a cross having downwardly sloping lower sides forming chisel edges to reduce misalignment caused by sand or other foreign material clinging to the brick being laid.

Other and further objects reside in the combination of elements, arrangement of parts and features of construction.

Still other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out as the description of the invention proceeds and as shown on the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view of the bricklayers level of the instant invention;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the level shown in FIGURE 1 partly in cross-section; and

FIGURE 3 is a bottom perspective view thereof, to a reduced scale.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, reference numeral generally designates a bricklayers level in accordance with the inventive concept. The level 10 comprises a finger ring member 12, substantially cylindrical in shape, having secured to its periphery in any conventional manner including an upper margin, a level support means 14 and, diametrically opposed thereto (180 on the band), a cruciform base member 16. The finger ring member 12, the level support means 14 and the base member 16 may be integrally formed of any conventional material such as metal, plastic or the like, preferably of a sturdy nature such as brass. It has been found advantageous to make the margin of the level support means 14 separately and then to secure the same to the remainder of the finger ring member 12 in any desired manner, such as by brazing, welding or the like.

The finger ring member 12 is shown as tapering in width from a relatively heavy portion 18 adjacent the level support means 14 to a relatively narrow portion 20 "ice adjacent the base member 16, but it is to be understood that the member 12 only need be an endless band of a size to receive the finger of a bricklayer for a purpose to be further described hereinafter.

The level support means 14 is shown as rectangular, but may be round or any other desired shape and has a protective recess 22 in which is supported a conventional levelling means 24, the latter being protected somewhat by being of less elevation than the top of the margin. The levelling means 24 may be of any desired construction but it is preferred to have an arched transparent top bead 25 or the like with an air bubble 26 trapped in a liquid reservoir 27 and a crossed hairline 29 to indicate when the bubble is centered and the device level.

Since bricks very often have foreign material such as sand or the like clinging to their surfaces it has been found advantageous to provide a base member 16 substantially in the form of a cross having two legs 28 and '30 as shown in the drawing. The legs 28 are perpendicular to the vertical plane of the band and the legs 30 are arranged so that their lower surfaces are coplanar with the lower surfaces of legs 28 and tangential to the outer periphery of the band. The legs 28 and 30 each have equal height downwardly sloping lower surfaces 32 and 34 providing chiseled edges 36 and 38 and chamfered ends, which shape can be made to rest comparatively fiat upon the surface of a brick (not shown) regardless of any foreign material clinging thereto. The edges 36 and 38 are parallel to the central plane of the levelling means 24 and the point 37 at which they cross is substantially diametrically opposed to the cross of the hairline 29.

The use and operation of the level of the invention will now be apparent. The ring member 12 is slipped over one of the fingers of the bricklayer, preferably the middle finger of the hand with which he lays the brick with the base member 16 below the level of his fingers. If the bricklayer is right handed he will usually place the brick with his left hand by extending the tips of his fingers over the edge thereof furtherest away from him and his thumb over the edge closest to him. The upper portions of his fingers (one of which will be wearing the level 10) will extend across the top of the brick and the lower surface of the base member (the chiseled edges 36 and 38 in the embodiment shown) will rest upon the top of the brick. The total length of the longer legs are conveniently equal to the outside ring diameter to give freedom of movement of the fingers next to the ring bearing finger. The length of the shorter legs are conveniently about one half the length of the longer legs to allow more comfortable bending of the ring bearing finger. The right hand will be free to operate the trowel in the conventional manner. Of course, if the mason is left handed, these operations will be reversed and the level 10 will be worn on the middle finger of the right hand. By quickly glancing at the levelling means 24, the bricklayer can readily ascertain whether or not the brick is level and can tilt the brick as necessary to correct any misalignment.

It will now be seen that there is herein provided a bricklayers level which satisfies all of the ojectives of the instant invention and others, many of which are of great practical importance and commercial utility. By means of this device it is possible to quickly and easily level a brick as it is laid to avoid lipping without the necessity of additional time consuming operations.

Since many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept and since many modifications may be made of the embodiments herein shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a bricklayers tool, the combination including a spirit level with a transparent upper surface, said upper surface being slightly arched as viewed .in elevation on intersecting vertical planes, a a,

( 1) an endless circular band supporting said level on the top periphery, the support including an up'per margin about and above the trans'parentsurface, thus forming a recess within said margin, V

(2) a horizontal planer base member of'cruciform shape in plan disposed contiguous to and'integral with said band in 180 opposed relation with respect to'said spirit level, V

(3) a longer pair of the legs of said base member with the total length of said latter lower faces being apequal to the outside diameter of said proximately one halfthe length of the surfaces of the longer legs. I a 1 a 2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the lower surfaces of all legs, posses equal height chiseled edges projecting downwardly therefrom, g

and the distal .ends of each chiseled edge on each leg 'is chamfered. 3. The structure of claim 2 wherein the. width of the band tapers equally'from the top periphery downwardly on each half of the band. 7 v

1 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 232,982 10/80 'Langdon -1 33 211 456,086 7/91 Forwood 33--211 721,694 3/03 Green 33 207 967,258 8/105 Sta'mm; 33 2o7 2,502,171 3/50 Pashby 33 212.2

- FOREIGN PATENTS 569,120 1/59 Canada.

ISAAC LISANN, Primary Examil r'er. 

1. IN A BRICKLAYER''S TOOL, THE COMBINATION INCLUDING A SPIRIT LEVEL WITH A TRANSPARENT UPPER SURFACE, SAID UPPER SURFACE BEING SLIGHTLY ARCHED AS VIEWED IN ELEVATION ON INTERSECTING VERTICAL PLANES, (1) AN ENDLESS CIRCULAR BAND SUPPORTING SAID LEVEL ON THE TOP PERIPHERY, THE SUPPORT INCLUDING AN UPPER MARGIN ABOUT AND ABOVE THE TRANSPARENT SURFACE, THUS FORMING A RECESS WITHIN SAID MARGIN, (2) A HORIZONTAL PLANAR BASE MEMBER OF CRUCIFORM SHAPED IN PLAN DISPOSED CONTIGUOUS TO AND INTERGRAL WITH SAID BAND UN 180* OPPOSED RELATION WITH RESPECT TO SAID SPIRIT LEVEL, (3) A LONGER PAIR OF LEGS OF SAID BASE MEMBER WITH LOWER COMPLANAR SURFACES WHICH LATTER SURFACES ARE DISPOSED TANGENTIALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE OUTER DIAMERTICAL SURFACE OF SAID BAND AND WITH A TOTAL LENGTH APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO THE OUTSIDE DIAMETER OF SAID BAND, (4) AND A SHORTER PAIR OF THE LEGS OF SAID BASE MEMBER WITH LOWER SURFACES WITH LATTER SURFACES ARE COPLANAR WITH SAID LOWER SURFACES OF SAID LONGER PAIR OF LEGS AND WHICH LATTER SURFACES ARE PERPENDICULAR WITH RESPECT TO A VERTICAL CENTRAL PLANE OF SAID BAND THE TOTAL LENGTH OF SAID LATTER LOWER FACES BEING APPROXIMATELY ONE HALF THE LENGTH OF THE SURFACES OF THE LONGER LEGS. 